Muslim Leaders Meeting with the Hon'ble Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh

From: India News
Date: Saturday, Feb 7, 2015 at 7.04 PM
Subject: Muslim Leaders Meeting with the Union Home Minister
To: India News

 

 

Meeting of Muslim Leaders with the Hon’ble Home Minister of India

With eight months in office of the BJP Government, its functioning has been assuring for the Muslim community. The community is positive and hopeful from the Union Government. The issues of the community and the compounded feeling from security concerns to branding, discrimination and marginalization in political, social and economic spheres however remain to be addressed. Therefore, there is need for dialogue process to be started with the influential groups of the community for better trust to build between the Government and the Muslim community.

 

In this context, a meeting of important Muslim intellectuals and social leaders took place with the Hon’ble Home Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh yesterday at his residence. This was the first high level interaction with Muslim community since Modi Government assumed office. The meeting was coordinated by BJP National Executive Member Dr. MJ Khan. Following persons participated in an hour long interaction and free and fair discussions.

 

1. Mr. PA Inamdar, Chancellor, Azam Campus, Pune
2. Dr. Huma Masood, UNESCO
3. Mr. Safdor Khan, Vice President, India Islamic Cultural Centre
4. Justice MSA Siddqui, Chairman, Minorities Educational Institutions of India
5. Justice IM Kuddusi,  Chief Justice Retd, Chhatisgarh High Court
6. Dr. MM Ansari, Member, UGC and ex GOI Interlocutor on J&K
7. Mr. Khalid Ansari, Convenor, Confederation of Rural NGO 
8. Mufti Shamoom Qasmi, founder Member of India Against Corruption and AAP
9. Mr. Qurban Ali, noted TV Journalist and Author
10. Mr. Islam Hussain, President, Pahal Network of NGOs, Nainital
11. Mr. Ilias Azmi, former Member of Parliament
12. Dr. TA Rahmani, President, Muslim Political Council
13. Dr. Mohammad Atiq, Chairman, Marwar Group of Institutions, Jodhpur
14. Dr. MJ Khan, National Executive Member, BJP

 

Introducing the dignitaries Dr. MJ Khan said the community is faced with several issues from the sense of insecurity to peripheral share in education, jobs, Government schemes, and political and economic spheres. However the biggest constraint is the lack of communication leading to the trust deficit between the Government and the Muslim community. He drew the attention that there is however a definite positive shift now in the community attitude towards the NDA Government led by the Prime Minister Sh. Modi after observing its 8 months of functioning, which has given good governance, creating opportunities for all and discrimination towards none. Dr. Khan emphasized that the community need not be un-necessarily bothered for some statements by certain elements and need to look at the Governmental policies, decisions and actions.

 

Sh. Rajnath Singh while welcoming the guests emphasized the need for bridging the trust deficit and sought suggestions on what should be done by the Government. He assured that the Modi Government is fully committed to protecting the rights and ensuring safety and security of the minority communities. Sh. Singh suggested that he would like to enlarge the dialogue process with the community to instill confidence and bridge the communication gap for better trust between the Government and the community. He also assured that the genuine grievances of the community will be addressed and steps be taken for the education, skills development and economic empowerment of the community.

 

• Justice MSA Siddqui said that reducing social tension through the process of dialogue at the Governmental, political and community levels is must. He also drew the attention towards the need for an institutional mechanism for the continuity of dialogue to ensure that the sense of security and confidence is built in the community and with a more positive approach. Justice Siddiqui suggested to free Muslims from the “minority tag”, as 20 crore population can not be minority.

 

• Sh. Qurban Ali said that the realization by the Government that there is trust deficit in itself is a big step and in positive direction. He said justice needs to be done and seen being done. Government must ensure that the police and intelligence apparatus must not work with pre-conceived notions. He complimented prime minister for his Gujarat model, wherein Muslims have progressed well, and sought it to be implemented throughout the country. A regular dialogue and proactive steps towards addressing the genuine concerns of the community will go a long way.

 

• Sh. Ilias Azmi said that BJP is not enemy of Muslims and this understanding is more clear in the minds of Muslims now. He rather castigated Congress for the poor condition of Muslims by its emotional black-mailing tactics and creating divide between Muslims and BJP all these years. He said that the Government needs to manage public perception by doing justice. Criminals must be punished but innocents with digestible names must not be framed. There should be accountability of police and intelligence system, and false framing should be made punishable crime. He said Branding must be unacceptable. Let there be preliminary enquiry done, before flashing of names. He said police must arrest only culprits, and not blindly go for Muslims hunting, which encourages real culprits to carry on their business unchecked. Accountability of the security system is must in a democracy.

 

• Dr. TA Rahmani said that there is much positive thinking in the community especially among the youth for BJP. The Government must extend some incentives for the positive thoughts translated into more confidence, closeness and support for the Government. He said fair share should be ensured in the Governmental resources, once it is admitted that the community is backward, and proactive measures need to be taken. He drew attention towards repealing the discriminatory Article 341 of the SC/SC Order, which is a blot on the secular constitution of India and discriminates based on the religion.

 

• Sh. Safdor Khan asked for the incentive and encouragement of the Muslim youths for education and skill programs. He suggested that the BJP Government has embarked upon a massive skilling and entrepreneurship programs, let the proportional share of Muslim youth be ensured for them to play equally vibrant role in the social and economic development of the nation. He offered to cooperate in addressing radicalism in the community by creating confidence in youths and strengthening the sufi centres. 

 

• Sh. Khalid Ansari emphasised on the outreach programs for the message of the Government of its positive approach and concerns for the community’s security and development reach out to the community at large so that there is greater positivity and bridging of the trust deficit. This may result into the support of the community for the Governmental programs. He suggested that the network of Madarsas may be used to create new skills development centres for greater outreach of this scheme and mainstreaming of the community.

 

• Sh. Islam Hussain suggested for the effective execution of the program and more inclusive growth. He said that the community is poor yet its share in the Government schemes meant for poor do not reach. He also suggested shifting the MSDP budget to the other heads within the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Sh. Khalid Ansari also supported this view saying major part of the Ministry budget goes to MSDP scheme, which is nothing but a big fraud perpetrated by the Congress on minorities. He suggested for effective monitoring of the Ministry schemes, as many states do not take interest or there is high level of corruption involved.

 

• Sh. MM Ansari said that India Shining story can not be achieved if its 20% population is left out. He lauded the prime minister’s slogan of “sabka saath sabka vikas” and said that muslim community is much more positive towards the Government than what it was with even previous Congress Government. Therefore it is high time that whatever trust deficit and genuine complaints of the community, must be addressed proactively. He suggested for the Government making appointments of the qualified people from the community to the political posts, if the party can not give tickets due to winnability or other reasons. He emphasized that India, after 67 years, must be made riots free.

 

• Dr. Huma Masood said that India has mix culture and a shared cultural heritage and there is no reason for clashes and riots, even the room for misunderstanding. She said it has been politically done, and if there is political will, such things can not happen. She quoted that if UP under Rajnath Singh could be riots free and if Gujarat under Sh. Modi could be riots free for 12 years, why can’t the whole country.  She said Muslim community needs role models, who could give confidence and who could ensure fairness in their share. Promises must be translated into action.

 

• Mufti Shamoom Qasmi said that the Sufism need to be promoted by financially aiding Dargah and Khanqah, which are shared heritage of this country. While economic participation is important, India being an spiritual country, there is role for such institutions, which serves Hindu community as much as they serve the Muslim or any other community. He said that hundreds of these sufi dargah played a big role in inspiring people for the freedom struggle and in giving the message of peace and brotherhood. Their support can be roped in to promote peace and brotherhood.

 

• Sh. PA Inamdar said that the community has rich heritage of skill based work and its future growth depends on how proactively few ministries such as Home, Minority affairs, HRD, Skills & Enterprenurship, textiles, science & technology, social justice & empowerment, rural and urban development etc. work to ensure safety and fairness in the community share in schemes and deliver benefits of their programs. He sought expeditious implementation of the budgets already provisioned under various schemes. Once benefits are delivered and free and fair atmosphere is created, it will restore trust. He suggested the continuity of such dialogue.  

 

 

Recommendations:

 

1. Dialogue process between the Government and the Muslim community to be regularly organised through an institutional mechanism and its scope to be enlarged by inviting more groups and wider participation and taking it to State levels

 

2. Benefits of Government schemes and welfare programs to be proactively delivered by involving in dialogue the key economic ministries, Ministry of Home and the Ministry of HRD for SSA and higher education. Efforts should be made to increase Muslims participation in education, jobs, police recruiting and Government schemes

 

3. Muslim youths outreach program to be started for them to participate and benefit by the Governmental schemes. And towards connecting them with opportunities an economic delivery agency to be supported

 

4. Government must reach out to the centres of Sufism, Dargah, Khanqahs, which can play transformational role in promoting peace and brotherhood, due to their shared values and heritage. They should be financially aided.

 

5. Justice should be done and seen being done. There must be strong message delivered to the police and security system of the scrutiny and accountability in a democracy.